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‘Is she my cousin, too?’
Benneit planted his hands on his hips and grinned down at her.
‘Ah, the pitfalls of falsehood. Shall I bring you a shovel so you can keep digging, Jo?’
‘Will you buy her a dress, then, Papa?’ Jamie insisted, sticking to the essence of the matter.
‘I will, Jamie. Several. So you may both frolic in the kelp to your heart’s content.’
‘Nonsense. Oh, look!’ Jo exclaimed, extracting a long silver tube from the mess. Jamie squeaked.
‘Treasure!’
Benneit frowned and jumped down from his perch on to the mud.
‘Show me.’
‘No, I found it and so it is mine,’ Jo said, holding the tube away from his outstretched hand. ‘And I decide it goes to Jamie.’
Jamie took it with glee, turning it in his hands and brushing away the mud and clinging kelp.
‘It’s a flute!’ Benneit said.
‘I knew that,’ Jamie answered.
‘I thought it was a unicorn’s horn,’ Jo said in disappointed tones.
‘Did not!’ Jamie said.
‘Well, I hoped it might be. Do you think it is made of real silver? Perhaps it belonged to the mermaid queen’s musicians.’
Benneit tapped it.
‘Tin.’
Jamie blew on it and a spray of slimy mud spattered down the side of Jo’s dress.
‘Sorry, Jo,’ Jamie said contritely as she wiped at the goo.
‘I think it’s an improvement,’ Benneit said, inspecting the damage. ‘It looks like a map of Italy now. And there is Elba. That’s where Napoleon escaped from, Jamie.’
‘Oh? Where is he now?’
Benneit put his hands on her waist and turned her, pointing to a speck just below her posterior.
‘On that island there. St Helena.’
Jo moved away from his grasp, her cheeks hot with embarrassment. Benneit considered apologising for stretching the jest, but it was pleasant to see her so flustered.
‘We really should return. The water is rising,’ she said and Benneit swung Jamie back on to the rocks. On impulse he turned and took Jo by the waist, swinging her up as well. With a gasp she steadied herself against him, her fingers brushing down the sides of his neck as she leaned her hands on his shoulders, sending whispers of warmth over his skin and tightening his hands on the soft curves of her waist. For a moment he held her between the sand and the rock, her lips parted, revealing lovely white teeth and the tip of a pink tongue that made his tingle with a need to test the sudden conviction she would taste sweet, warm, a little spicy...
She pushed against his shoulders and he raised her the last few inches to deposit her on the rock. She turned and made her way towards where the rocks descended again to the sand. He did not follow right away, until the encroaching waves licked at his boots and he cursed and leapt after them. They continued in silence until he took Jamie’s hand and guided them towards the cliff path.
‘Shouldn’t we go by the Sea Gate?’ Jo asked.
‘Papa only goes by the cliff path by the chapel, don’t you, Papa?’
‘I like coming in through the inner bailey,’ Benneit answered, avoiding Jo’s questioning gaze. ‘Besides, I must stop by the stables. Would you like to take your pony out to the village with me tomorrow, Jamie?’
Jamie threw his arms wide in a gesture of such obvious pleasure Jo laughed.
‘What horse will Jo ride, Papa?’
He hesitated and Jo interceded.
‘You and your papa will go. I shall stay to help Mr McCreary, Jamie.’
‘Oh, dull!’ Jamie scoffed, but danced ahead up the shore. After a moment Benneit spoke.
‘If you would like a decent horse to ride while you are here, you need only speak to Angus. As long as you take a groom with you, you do not need to be limited to rides with Jamie. I presume Langdale ensured you are a fine horsewoman.’
‘It was a condition of our union . He would not propose until he saw me at a canter.’
He paused, taken aback, but then burst into laughter at the glint in her eyes.
‘How did you meet?’ he asked, grateful she was unknowingly smoothing over that strange moment by the rocks. ‘He was not of Uxmore’s circle as far as I can recall.’
She laughed and again he noticed the softening of her eyes, the tiny lines fanning out and enhancing her air of mischief.
